This is not going to accomplish much, and with the Americans arming Free Syrian Army jihadis against Islamic State jihadis, when the two groups have worked together, not much is going to be accomplished in this entire endeavor.
“France becomes 1st country to join US airstrikes on Islamic State group in Iraq,” by Jamey Keaten, The Associated Press, September 19, 2014:
PARIS – France is back at America’s side in conducting military strikes in Iraq.
More than a decade after spurning President George W. Bush’s war against Saddam Hussein, France on Friday became the first country to join U.S. forces pounding targets inside Iraq from the air in recent weeks — this time in pursuit of militants of the Islamic State group.
Flying from the United Arab Emirates, two French Rafale jets fired four laser-guided bombs to destroy a weapons and fuel depot outside the northern city of Mosul, part of the territory the militants have overrun in Iraq and neighbouring Syria, officials said.
An Iraqi military spokesman said dozens of extremist fighters were killed in the strikes. A French military official said a damage assessment had not been completed, while showing reporters aerial images of targets hit. Officials said it was at a former military installation seized by the group.
One analyst said the French action was more symbolic than substantive — France’s military means in the region are limited — but it could give political cover for other allies to join in and show that the U.S. is not acting alone in a country still sown with deadly violence 11 years after Saddam’s ouster.
“We are facing throat-cutters,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told a meeting of the U.N. Security Council that was called to show support for Iraq’s government in battling the militants. “They rape, crucify and decapitate. They use cruelty as a means of propaganda. Their aim is to erase borders and to eradicate the rule of law and civil society.”
For all his political and economic troubles at home, French President Francois Hollande has again showed he will use force to fight Islamic militants to help a beleaguered government.
Other such operations in Iraq would continue in coming days, Hollande said, “with the same goal — to weaken this terrorist organization and come to the aid of the Iraqi authorities.”
“In no case will there be French troops on the ground: This is only about planes that, in liaison with Iraqi authorities (and) in co-ordination with our allies, will allow for a weakening of the terrorist organization,” he said….
At Friday prayers in the Iraqi holy city of Karbala, a representative for the most revered Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, said foreign help in the fight against the Islamic State group should not lead to a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.
“The international efforts on this regard should not be used as a pretext to allow the foreigners to control the course of events in Iraq, especially in the military field,” Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbalaie said. “It is true that Iraq is in need for the help of brothers and friends in combating the black terrorism, yet safeguarding its sovereignty and independence should be highly considered. This should be taken care of.”…
ibn Muslim says
Getting help from Crusaders, using Kufr technology…
John Adams says
Ibn Muslim how strange that while Muslims are always squealing about intolerance you don’t mind throwing around the Kufr slander.
Perhaps you should go and join the good ol’ boys from ISIS.
Vive La France!
Beagle says
Allah loves the kuffar. If Allah did not will the unbelievers to be able to destroy the mujahideen it could not happen.
And Allah knows best.
umbra says
A. Those without any useful capacity to create will always rely on others to provide creative invention.
B. Those who are too cowardly to fight will always rely on others to fight for them.
ROP types are A + B.
Myxlplik says
I agree, if I were in charge, I wouldn’t even give Muslims a butter knife.
Standard equation applies, the theorem suggests:
Muslim – weapon = bad
Muslim + weapon = worse
Islam + person = Muslim
People + Islam + weapons = Muslim + Bad + worse
See how easy math is?
We agree right?
Bamaguje says
“Getting help from Crusaders, using Kufr technology” – Ibn Muslim.
If you have a problem with Kufr technology, why are you here on the internet?
Did Muslims invent the world-wide-web?
Don McKellar says
It speaks to the insanity and delusion of the Obama regime when just a little while ago on TV on the PBS Newshour was a spokesman from Iran, who was pointing out the complete illogic of arming the Free Syrian Army jihadis against Islamic State jihadis — because the Free Syrian Army jihadis will first go after the Syria’s government, who has been the only thing keeping ISIS from taking over all of Syria! And, as the Iranian spokesman pointed out, there is little difference between the FSA and ISIS! They stand for the same thing! If the fact that the Iranian mullahs are shaking their heads in incredulity at Obama’s stupidity tells us anything , it’s a reflection of a completely absurd topsy-turvy foreign policy move. Even the mad mullahs are baffled!
tpellow says
Supplementary.
” Kurdish fighters welcome French air strikes on Iraq”
(2 min video).
http://www.france24.com/en/20140920-kurdish-peshmerga-fighters-welcome-french-air-strikes-iraq/
Angemon says
And here’s the weather forecast for France: burning cars and “youth” riots against French intervention in the islamic state.
fair_dinkum says
thanks france.. maybe you should look at airstrikes on parts of Paris
Luciano says
Wow! With the French on our side….how can we lose?
Wait till their 16% Muslim population starts demonstrating and burning cars….that will be the end of their involvement.
And….the main stream biased news media will never mention a word.
Walter Sieruk says
The heinous thugs of ISIS are so very cruel and violent the the curse that is found in the Bible could be in them. For the Bible reads “may disaster hunt down men of violence.” Psalm 140:11. Could it be that some of this disaster on the violent fiends of ISIS was in the form of the airstrikes from France ? Furthermore, the villains of ISIS with their evil and mad mindset may be described in the Bible. Which teaches “The hearts men are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live,and afterwards they join the dead.” Ecclesiastes 9:3. [N.I.V.]
paddy says
VIVE LA FRANCE!
Pavelina says
Why aren’t they bombing the oil wells? Stop the flow of oil that brings the IS
a million$ a day.